Improvement in game-boards



J'. G. THURBER, h

GAME-BOARD.

Patented Nov.23,1875.

WJ/nessas N-FHERS. PHOTO LITMOGRAPHE1L WASHINGTON. D C. v

" UNITED STATES from it by a spring,

somepart or disk PATENT, OFFICE.

.JOHN G. THURBER, JR, OFPROVIDENOE, maroon rsnannnssrenon TO JOSEPH P.MANTON, 0F SAME PLACE.

. IMPROVEMENT IN GAME-BOARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,429, dated November23, 1875; application filed May 10, 1875.

To all whom it may concern: g

Be it known that I, J OHN G. THURBER, Jr., of Providence, Rhodelsland,have invented a game called Top Pool, of which-the following is aspecification:

The game herein described, which I propose shall be known by the nameoftop pool, is intended to afl'ord a novel and pleasant amusement andrecreation. It consists of a table or board, A, upon which are arranged,in any desired manner or relative position, a number of pins similar tothose used in a'bowling-alley. Theseare designed to be overthrown by arevolving top which travels among them. The sides are provided withdisks, which, struck by the top, transmit the blow to a gong or bell,which is thus sounded.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the table,pins, and top. Fig. 2 shows the bell and the mechanism by which it issounded. Fig.3 is a perspective view of the top-holder used by hand inspinning'the top. and Fig. 4 shows the top-holder applied to thegame-board.

The table A must have a surface which shall lie in a perfectly,horizontal plane. The pins N are placed in their proper position, andthe top is spun in the players station 0, from Whenceit immediatelymoves, traveling over the table, rebounding from the sides, overthrowingthe pins, and if, perchance, it strikes a disk, D, it rings the bell.The mechanism by which the bell is sounded is clearly shown in Fig. 2. Fis the bell. D is one of the disks, secured to one end of a lever, E,whose other end is pivoted to a'rod, G, whose extremity is nearly incontact with the bell, and is kept H. Any blow upon the disk D depressesit and thrusts forward the rod G into contact with the bell.

It is not novel to provide a game-board with a bell which may be soundedby a blow upon operating in connection with it; but 1 am not aware thata top has ever been used to sound a bell.

The several disks D, arranged in any number along the sides of thegame-board, communicate, in boards of ordinary size, with a single bell,F. Where the board is so large as to make the connection between thedisks and a single bell too cumbersome, more than one bell may be used,but the same connection would be employed. 1

The rod G, besides serving as a hammer, serves also as the medium ofcommunication between the disk-levers E and the bell F.- Adistinguishing feature of this arrangement is, therefore, that of anumber of rods secured at one end to the levers upon which the blow isstruck, and converging radially upon the bell.

A top constructed for the purpose of giving a blow to any body incontact with it I believe to be novel. The effect noted cannot beproduced by the ordinary top, whose periphery is circular, for thereason top in its revolution must alwaysmove in a direction tangentialto its points of contact with another body, and a blow can only be givenin a direction angular to the surface of the body struck. For the reasonnamed I make the perimeter of the top irregular or eccentric to its axisof revolution. As the face of the disk is slightly rounded some portionof the perimeter of the top that lies at an angle to its axis ofrevolution will come in contact with the disk and give. the latter asharp blow. The same efi'ect is producedwhen it strikes one of theupright pins. The pin is knocked over instead of being pushed over.

Other than the above-named peculiarity I lay no claim to any specialshape of top. The form best adapted seems to be that of the ordinaryteetotum shawn, or some modification of it, as giving the greatestgeneration of centrifugal force with a minimum weight of top. The peg orpart on which the top bears in spinning is not pointed, but flattened,and of considerable size-a form not novel, but adapted to cause the topto travel quickly over the board. As a support to the top in its holder,I place about the stem, just above the top, a collar, M.

The top-holder K may be affixed to a handle, as shown in Fig. 3, or maybe secured to the re rable to make the holder detachable from th boardafter the top is spun to prevent any in jury by the contact of thelatter with it. This is a contingency not necessary to provide againstin other. games where the top-holder that the surface of the board, asin Fig. 4. In the latter case it is is attached to the board, but ismade advisable in this game because of the powerful blow given by thepeculiar top used. For the purpose of removal the holder has a shank, V,of

any suitable shape, which fits into a correspondin'g groove or mortise,V, at the sides of the game-board.

If the top-holder were placed in the same position relative to theupper. edge of the side of the game-board as in other constructions,either the string which revolves the top would beidrawn over such edgeor recourse be had to a slot in the side of the board, both of which areobjectionable. By supporting the top by the bearing of its collar M inits holder, and placing that holder so far above the edge that the.string shall not wear upon} it, I obviate these objections. 7

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, in agame and game-board using tops or pins, or provided with bells, as setforth in this specification 1. The lever E, having the disk D, in combination with the rod Gr, spring H, and bell F, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

bination with the ,bell F, as and for the purpose set forth. a i

3. The top P, having an irregular or eccentric perimeter, in combinationwith a gameboard provided with pins or bell-ringing device,substantially as and for the purpose.

Specified.

4. The top-holder K, placed asjdescribed, and having the slotted arms IJ and shank V,

in combination with a game-board, A, having the groove V, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth. a v

JOHN G. THURBER, J3.

Witnesses:

OHRIs'r. A. HALL, H. OLPIEROE,

2. The radiallydisposed rods G, operated by the levers and springs, asdescribed, incomwx

